MORNING HEADLINES | Charleston City Council at Tuesday night’s meeting unanimously approved a new contract with the Charleston Animal Society that will have the city pay nearly $1 million per year for the animal shelter’s services.
The contract comes in the wake of a years-long battle with Charleston County over what the shelter called “insufficient support” for its ongoing work with the county’s animal population.
Charleston Animal Society (CAS) takes in over 90% of the animals in Charleston County, according to shelter president Joe Elmore. Most other shelters of its kind are government operated, like shelters in Greenville, Horry County, Columbia and elsewhere, and are supplemented by some nonprofit organizations.
But after nearly half a century of assuming financial responsibility for all the county’s animals, Charleston County in 2019 relinquished that responsibility for animal control officers. In 2024, it relinquished responsibility for all animals coming in from citizens in incorporated municipalities.
“It has thrown us into this predicament of having to immediately go out and negotiate contracts with Mount Pleasant, Charleston, North Charleston,” Elmore said.
A contract with Mount Pleasant has already been finalized and approved, and Tuesday night’s vote established the partnership between CAS and the city of Charleston. The total contract amount for 2025 is $991,518, which was not anticipated in the city’s annual budget. General fund reserves will be used to cover the cost.
Cost estimations are based on the average cost of care for animals at the shelter. The shelter takes in over 10,000 animals every year, with an average cost of about $543, Elmore said, with only a portion of those animals coming from the city of Charleston.
“Spay and neuter alone can run you between $500 and $1,200,” Elmore said. “They’re getting that, plus boarding, all the vaccinations, veterinary assessments, basic treatments. Typically, a dog in the private sector may cost around $4,300 to $5,000 for all of that. We’re charging the city $543.
“It’s a really good break,” he added. “We’re giving heavy discounts to the city governments. … It’s good for us, it’s good for the city, and that means it’s good for the animals.”
If costs associated with animal care from the city of Charleston exceed the contract amount, the city will pay the difference. And should the costs fall short, CAS will pay the city back. —Skyler Baldwin
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(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by PostX News and is published from a syndicated feed.)
